by Gary Lake,
Siskiyou Daily News Letter to the Editor November 30,
2010. Gary Lake is a Konomihu-Shasta Indian from
Medford, Ore. who has been spending much of his time of
late in Yreka.

Medford, Ore. — CREATOR, I am not wise, Spiritually
mature or as kind to my enemies as I wish I could be. I
am perplexed at the path you have chosen for me, and the
battles it leads my family and friends into. I know not
why these things are happening again to my people by
neighboring Tribes that experienced the very same thing
when gold was discovered along the Klamath River 160
years ago.

With great conviction of my heart I DO KNOW this ...
Today Water is the NEW Gold, and the Shasta People are
being subjected to soft-genocidal practices and
socioeconomic extermination tactics that will forever
wipe a great race of People from the books of history if
the dams are removed along the Klamath River, that are
entirely inside aboriginal Shasta Lands.

NOWHERE in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA)
are the Shasta People recognized. The Klamath Hydro
Settlement Agreement (KHSA) exposes the Shasta People's
burial grounds, Spiritual sites, ceremonial grounds and
villages which are currently protected by reservoirs
behind the dams that are to be taken out.

Said agreements will expose Shasta Human remains to be
stolen and sold by looters for horrific private
collections. The KHSA creates land transfers for fish
and restoration purposes with no regard whatsoever to
the original aboriginal Peoples of said territory, the
Shasta People.

Great Creator, on this historic day of peace and
friendship I humbly ask that you will open the hearts of
the good Karuk, Yurok, Hoopa and Klamath People and let
them think about what it is that their leaderships are
about to do ... The Shastas have buried our dead once
already, and then helplessly watched them covered over
by water denying our access to practice certain
inalienable human rights of Shasta Customs and Cultural
practices.

We are fraught with the idea of having to collect bones
from the banks of the river and once again bury that of
which are not stolen or lost forever. How can we soothe
the Spirits of so many souls when their bodies are
scattered in pieces and strewn along the muddy banks of
a ruined river?!

On this day that has duplicit meaning to Native
Americans and non-Indians alike, I pray for compassion,
Love and proper action with regards to the Shasta
People.

Sincerely and with great respect, God Bless ALL American
People.

Gary Lake is a Konomihu-Shasta Indian from Medford,
Ore. who has been spending much of his time of late in
Yreka.